The clinic experience
For anybody who is concerned about what kind of medical attention you might get in an emergency on St. John, we have now investigated this for you. And the answer is excellent attention.
A little run in with a brand new kitchen knife (you really shouldn’t clean brand new kitchen knives by running them blade side down across a sponge you’re holding in your hand) led to gobs of blood that shot up into the ceiling fan and sprayed around the room, a screaming Jeep ride up Gifft Hill Road, 14 stitches and… a pretty pleasant emergency clinic visit experience.
The late night receptionist was great. The nurse was great. The security guard was great. The doctor, who I think was 18, was great. (And he had a great soap opera name: Dr. Jason Snow.) The whole experience was prompt, professional and friendly. And they all had a good sense of humor which was good because it was me.
The clinic’s ability to help in life-threatening events that require extensive emergency medical care may be limited, but for dragging a knife across the palm of your hand, top notch! (Did I mention it was a brand new, serrated kitchen knife?)
July 21st, 2008 06:11
Ouch. I too have had the emergency room experience with an ambulance ride to boot. It was top notch and later in the week as I was walking around town one of the nurses stopped her jeep and asked me how I was doing. I couldn’t say enough nice things about the whole experience. A-1 service all the way.
July 21st, 2008 06:15
They looks like a big OUCH! You sure you’re not just covering up for Wade? Maybe he’s not the tame, friendly, easy going beach shark you guys claim he is.
July 21st, 2008 06:26
ahhh, good morning,
i thought it was only your finger at first, then…
ouch.
i guess you can keep the wounds clean by doin’
12 ounce curls…
lastly….
just take it easty for a couple of days.
q
July 21st, 2008 06:30
Oh my god that looks painful!!! Poor you. I appreciate the ‘hands on’ investigative reporting though! (my deepest apologies…)
July 21st, 2008 06:33
Owch, that is going to throb and be painful for a while…glad you are OK. I would prescribe alcohol in various forms to help with the recovery process.
July 21st, 2008 06:37
You can file that under Dumb Moves 101!
Hope you are feeling better!
I do find it interesting that you had the foresight to bring a camera to the emergency room!
July 21st, 2008 06:57
Can you tag these posts better? Oy Vay. That’s a heck of a job you did there.
Knocking on wood…I only seem to injure myself when I’m at home and not on vacation. Good to know though…
July 21st, 2008 07:13
wow that just made me shiver! hope you are feeling ok, Jeff!
July 21st, 2008 07:28
OUCH!! Is that a drug-induced smile on your face????
oooh is that going to be sore for a while!
July 21st, 2008 07:40
There are easier ways to get medication…… :>)
July 21st, 2008 07:50
Oh poor thing!! That’s a big owwie! Hope you’re doing okay.
I too find it fascinating that you remembered to bring the camera in the midst of all the pain and blood spray!
No better place to recupe than St John though! Feel better soon!!
July 21st, 2008 07:56
Aaarrrhhh, I cut it on my rapier, Maties! Aaarrrhhh…
July 21st, 2008 08:14
Do they take Stateside insurance cards? Wow, you really did some serious damage there. I hope it heals up quickly! And, is the Water Dancing CD ready yet???
July 21st, 2008 08:26
is the knife ok ?
July 21st, 2008 09:15
All I can say OUCH!!! That really, really looks painful!
July 21st, 2008 09:18
It could pass as a shark bite . . .and make for a really good story after a few drinks.
July 21st, 2008 09:26
Double OUCH !!!!
soooooo sorry Jeff…….
I did the same thing…..
same type of knife….. my hand slipped carving a pumpkin……only I was in the 4th grade……I got eight stitches…..
BTW is Wade in quarantine…….
July 21st, 2008 09:29
Now is the time to start working on the bar and party story for explaining the scars (and it looks like you’ll have some nice ones!)…. any story involving a kitchen sponge just isn’t going to cut it (no pun intended)..and since there aren’t many pirates cruising the Caribbean any more….might I suggest a vicious shark attack…a rabid hammerhead …yeah, that’s the ticket!
July 21st, 2008 09:30
Painkillers - lot’s and lot’s of painkillers
Hope you are OK.
Pia
July 21st, 2008 09:48
It is good to know just where and how to get to MKHC. I bet that JEEP CAM was really moving! Good to know you are OK. I took my wife there after a bee sting a few years ago. She was starting to swell up and once we walked in the door we were met with a receptionist who never greeted us, got off her personal phone call or cared. I immediately started to worry about how the nurse and doctor would be. To our relief they were both very caring and knowledgeable.
July 21st, 2008 09:54
Oh, oh, ouch ouch OUCH!
I hope you have some nice painkillers for that. Feel better soon!
July 21st, 2008 09:55
OMG! Owww! I would of been bawling like a baby!!! Good to know the clinic took good care of you!
July 21st, 2008 10:13
i’m sure it’s more painful than it looks… if you could see the cringe on my face
alcohol dulls the pain, the can will keep the hand cool and from swelling.. i’ve never seen a more perfect reason to throw back a few!
July 21st, 2008 10:53
They don’t call ‘em Painkillers for nothin’….
July 21st, 2008 10:57
Ouch………..where is Dr. DeJames?
He was not on duty……I love the clinic, they were always so helpful when I had to get bloodwork……….
July 21st, 2008 11:35
ow
ow
ow
ow
ow
I jumped up when I saw that picture! Scary! Good luck!
Cheers, RickG
July 21st, 2008 11:54
P.S. Jeff…are you right handed… After looking more closely at that bandage on your hand, I started making a list of all the things you would not be able to do with your right hand in that condition. Makes interesting reading
July 21st, 2008 12:39
Geez, Jeff! You’ll do anything for a little attention, won’t you?!
July 21st, 2008 12:45
Caramba Jeff, so sorry!!! I hope you feel better,I clean the knife the same way,know I learn my lesson…at least you are ovethere with a nice view to relax that hand and rest,
Hasta la vista
July 21st, 2008 15:02
Ouch! So sorry to hear about your accident. I vote for the shark attack story and lots of Painkillers. I guess Villa Vittles will be on a break for awhile. Feel Better!
July 21st, 2008 19:37
And you made fun of my black eye and prescription mask???!!!!!
Let’s see how well you can use the iPhone with that!
Ouch!!
July 21st, 2008 20:19
Okay, usually mostly we don’t comment on comments on our own site because it just seems wrong to comment about ourselves, but to put above Ben Chill’s comments into perspective, Ben broke his glasses after sticking his head into a ceiling fan a couple of weeks ago (you see already that trumps a run-in with a knife and a sponge) and had handlers who told him it would be completely normal and okay to just substitute his PRESCRIPTION SNORKEL MASK for everyday eyeglasses and so Ben was spotted many, many times driving around in his Jeep wearing a SNORKEL MASK.
I have pictures from our vast Action News team, and I think now I will post them.
July 21st, 2008 20:28
May the force of Tigger be with you!
(looks like a tigger tee…that ought to heal you…)
July 21st, 2008 20:34
>>and had handlers who told him it would be completely normal and okay to just substitute his PRESCRIPTION SNORKEL MASK for everyday eyeglasses and so Ben was spotted many, many times driving around in his Jeep wearing a SNORKEL MASK.
July 21st, 2008 20:45
And you’ve still been able to keep up the site with such a devstating injury? That calls for some kind of Presidential Citation, Medal for Bravery or something akin to that.
July 21st, 2008 20:46
Youch!!! I am very squeamish and you got me. Yikes. Glad you are okay.
Looking forward to the snorkle mask pictures. Why would you stick your head in a ceiling fan? Looking for some details here.
July 21st, 2008 21:16
Oh. My. Gosh.
That is definitely less funny than a prescription snorkel mask.
Hope you’re healing well!
July 21st, 2008 21:17
Jeff,
Your entry above reminded me of the Seinfeld episode when George lost his glasses and felt fine wearing his prescription athletic glasses around town which led to this scene:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-DMnQvQHAc&feature=related
Wouldn’t be a bit difficult to breathe while driving around wearing a snorkel mask???
July 21st, 2008 22:01
Egads, that looks painful. Hope you are doing well and healing quickly.
This incident begs the question, what was messier, ceiling fanned blood spray or the wonton grease explosion?
July 21st, 2008 22:05
Holy cow that don’t look good! Hope you have a speedy recovery.
July 22nd, 2008 07:21
Just to echo a few:
“ow
ow
ow
ouch
egads
o my gosh”
I don’t know does anyone else get queasy just looking at the picture?
CLUNK…
OK… I’ve regained consciousness again.
July 22nd, 2008 07:44
I ditto the ouch! Hope you are on the mend soon too. We had to log in some time at Myra Keeting Smith one trip. We thought the care was great.
The prescription scuba mask story is hilarious! LOL
July 22nd, 2008 08:11
Holy Ouch ! You have gone thru great pain for on the job coverage !! Thanks, & hope it heels quickly !! now about those Goggles……….. too funny !! will be on the lookout for those pic’s !!! Take care !!!!
July 22nd, 2008 08:27
Wow! How drunk were you?
July 22nd, 2008 11:09
Whoa nelly…Glad you were taken care of so well. Heal brother….God bless..Bill
July 22nd, 2008 13:24
Hope you didn’t cut through the tendon and nerves on that finger like I did!
July 22nd, 2008 13:36
Note to self. Pack extra glasses and contacts for trip RIGHT NOW!
July 22nd, 2008 19:57
I’m no palm reader but I think you just extended your life line by 50 years!
July 22nd, 2008 20:16
Heal well! - take care, the islands are not easy on open wounds - as unlucky as it was, you are fortunate it wasn’t much worse - the clinic did a fine job.
July 24th, 2008 17:51
Ouch! That hurts just to look at. I think you already know that wife Linda came down with appendicitis on-island last December. We thought the staff at the St. John clinic excellent, especially considering this was a Saturday night during Christmas Season! A water ambulance ride later, Linda had her appendix out in St. Thomas on early Sunday morning with excellent results. I was woke up by the surgeon who presented the appendix to me for inspection. I concurred that it really, really needed to be gotten out of her. You can read all about it in our winter/Christmas newsletter on www.homerhickam.com. By the way, yes, they take stateside medical insurance on both St. John and St. Thomas, at least no problem with Blue Cross.
H3